Method and apparatus for producing multiple and miniature image effects in photography



Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,068

L. F. DOUGLASS METHODAND APPARATUS FoR PRODUCING MULTIPLE AND'MINIATUREIMAGE I EFFECTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY A Filed Aug. 14. 1922 0( 21. M ssPatented Jan. 29, 1924."

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON F. DOUGLASS, OF MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MULTTPLE AND MINIATUBEIMAGE EFFECTSIN PHOTOGRAPHY.

Application filed August 14,

image effects may be produced on a single photographic film by asingleexposure, more particularly to the method and'apparatus whereby an imageof an object may be produced on a single photographic filmsimultaneously with a miniature image of another object. v i

An object of my invention is to provide a novel method and improvedapparatus whereby asmall sizeor miniature image of an object may beproduced upon a single photographic film or plate, simultaneously with aproportionately larger image of another object.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide apparatus of the type justcharacter.- ized whichmay be readily applied team ordinary camerawithoutchange in its mechanism or construction. K

Generally stated, I place directlyin front of a camera lens, a small 90degree prism which is so positioned that it both reflects the lightrays, proceeding from an object through a concave lens, to aphotographic; film, and at the same time permits the light rays, passingthrough another concave lens from another object, to proceed withoutreflection to said film. i

In the accompanying drawings:

Fi 1, is a diagrammatic view illustrating t e relative arrangement ofthe two objects to be photographed, the two concave lenses, the smalllight-reflectin prism, the camera lens, the photographic lm, and thepath of the light rays proceeding from said ob'ects to said film;

ig. 2, is a diagrammatic fragment of a photographic film upon which twoimages are produced by means of the apparatus illustrated in Fi 1. I j

Referring to ig. 1, A, one ofthe objects to be photographed, ispositioned at an angle of approximately 90 degrees with referthe use ofthe concave lens.

1922. Serial No. 581,785.

lens of any suitable camera, and B, the

other object to be photographed, is positioned directly in front of thesaid lens L. Directly in front of lens L is 3, a small 90 degree prism,so positioned that one of its surfaces reflects the light ra sproceeding from object A, through lens 12 onto film F. Interposed inthepath of the light rays ,proceeding from object A, is 1, a double concavespherical lens of approximately -10 diopters positioned-at 'a distanceof about seven and a-half inches from 3. Interposed in the path of thelight rays pros ceeding from ob ect B to lens is 2, a double concavespherical lens of approximately 5 diopters, ositi'oned about five inchesin front of 3. as well as prism 3, areatta'ched to the c'amera structureby any suitable means such as a holding frame which sustains them intheir proper positions thereon.

I have found by interposing a concave spherical lens, in the path of thelight rays proceeding from an object to a photographic film, that theimage produced on the film is of considerably smaller proportions than asimilar image would be produced without I' have also found that byincreasing the curvature of the concave lens,-the size of the imagedecreases; so by placing a double concave lens of -l() diopters in thepath of the light rays from object A, and a 5 diopter double concavelens'in the path of the light rays from object 2, the image of object Ais proportionately smaller than the image of object B, when both areproduced on the photo 'raphic film F.

eferring again to Fig. 1, the light rays pro-- ceeding from object A,pass through double concave lens 1, and are refracted thereby toreflecting surface 0-03 of prism 3, after which the said surfacereflects them through lens L to film F, where image A is produced.Simultaneously therewith, the light rays from objectB proceed throughdouble concave lens 2, and are refracted thereby, to the surface c-d ofprism 3, after which they are refracted by said prism through lens L,onto film F, where image B is produced. Owing to the fact that lens 1 isof 10 diopters and lens 2 is of 5 diopters, the image A isproportionately smaller than image B. Thus by means of the apparatusherein illusuble concave lenses 1 and 2,

trated and described, I am able to produce simultaneously on a singlephotographic 'ects photographed. Therefore the term object ashereinemployed. is to be construed generally as referring to scenes andcombinations of objects and scenes, as well as to individual objects.

While the embodiments of the invention illustrated on the drawings havebeen described with considerable particularity, it is to be expresslyunderstood that I am not limited to any particular detail ofconstruction, as changes may be made in the forms of lenses employed,without departing from the spirit of this invention. Although I haveshown double concave lenses of but two different degrees of curvature,it is to be understood that other forms or shapes of lenses may be usedsuccessfully, and without dearting from the' spirit of my invention. oram Ilimited to any particular kind or form of hotography, or to anyparticular kind of fi or plate upon which the ima'ges are to beproduced, as it is apparent to those skilled in the art that myinvention is eglually applicable to-both still and motion otography.What I claim is: 1. The method of producing a. plurality of miniatureimages of a plurality of ob ects on a'photographic film which comprises,in-

' terposin a double concave lens in the path iature image 0 of the lightrays from one of said objects and refracting said light'rays to alight-reflectin prism positioned to reflect an image of said objectthrough a camera lens onto said film, and simultaneously, interposinganother double concave lens of less curvature than the first mentionedconcave lens, in the path of the light rays from another of saidobjects, and refract-ing the said light rays through the said cameralens onto the photo raphic film.

2. 'lghe method of producing a miniature image efiect on a photographicfilm which comprises, refractin g il the light rays from said object toa lig t-reflecting prism by means of a concave lens interposed in thepath of said light rays, and reflecting a minsaid object through acamera lens onto said film by means of said prism.

3. The method of producing variable image efi'ects of a lurality ofobjects on a sensitized film which comprises retracting by means of adouble concavelens, the light rays from one of said objects to alight-reflecting prism, and reflecting by means of said prism, aminiature image of said object through a camera lens onto said film, and

simultaneously retracting the -light ra s from another of said objectsthrough sa1d camera lens onto said film, by means of a second doubleconcave lens of less curvature than the first mentioned double'concavelens interposed in the path of said light rays from said object.

4. Means for 'producin a plurality of images of a plurality of o jectsupon a sensitized photo raphic film comprising a camera lens, a lightretracting double concave lens positioned to refract the light rays fromone of said objects to a light-reflectin prism so ositioned as toreflect said rays throu h sai c mera lens onto said film, a second lightreflecting double concave lens of less curvature than the firstmentioned double concave lens, positioned to refract the light rays fromanother of said objects through said camera lens onto said film.

5. In combination with a camera lens, a plurality of double concavelenses adapted to retract the light rays from a plurality of objectsthrough said lens onto a film.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a camera lens,a light-refrac'tin concave lens positioned to refract the lig t raysfrom an object to .a light-reflecting prism so positioned as to reflectsaid light rays through said camera lens onto a film, and a secondlight-refracting concave lens positioned to refract the light rays froma second object through said camera lens onto said film.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a camera lens,a light refracting double concave lens ositioned to refract the light ras from an o ject, a lightreflecting prlsm a apted to reflect the saidlight rays roceeding from said double concave lens, t rough the cameralens onto said film; a second double concave lens of less curvature thanthe first mentioned double concave lens, positioned to retract the lightrays from a second object through said camera lens onto said film.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a camera lens,a li ht-reflecting prism positioned ad'acent sai lens and at apredetermined angle to the axis there of, a light refracting doubleconcave lens positioned at an angle of 90 degrees with reference to theaxisof said camera lens and a second light-refracting double concavelens of less curvature than the first mentioned double concave lens,positioned in front of said prism with its axis coinciding with the axisof said camera lens.

LEON F; DOUGLASS.

